A modern-day horror RPG where the PCs are vampires, werewolves,
ghosts, demons, and more in New York City. It uses a
skill-based percentile system: roll under skill on 1d100,
or roll 1d100 + attack bonus vs 1d100 + defense bonus for
combat. Character creation is by random-roll attributes plus
skill points and power points depending on your creature type.
~50 pages rules (HTML).

The free release of a 2007 commercial game on PDF. This is a
modern-day action/horror RPG based on Japanese fiction including
the film "Battle Royale" where a class of high school students are
forced to fight each other to the death for televised entertainment.
It uses a dice pool conflict resolution system (using d6, d8,
d10, and d12), with special rules for narration.
108 pages rules and background (PDF).

A storytelling game about B-movie horror films. There mechanics
are based on players spending dice (d6s) from a "budget".
Characters and other elements are bought with points, then
written on index cards. During "filming", the cards are shuffled
and dealt to different players who control them.
~10 pages rules (HTML).

A minimalist system for Lovecraftian horror. Characters are
mechanically distinguished only by profession. Resolution is
by rolling a base d6, plus a d6 if the task is in professional
competence, and plus a d6 if the player is willing to risk sanity
over the roll. The highest die is the quality of success, and
the target number if someone else calls for possible failure.
4 pages core rules (PDF), 4 pages storytelling rules (PDF),
4 pages scenario generation (PDF).

A medieval horror RPG, set in an alternate Europe in the year
1189 struck by the Black Plague as the crusades failed before
Saladin. It uses a dice pool system, where resolution is by
rolling d6s equal to trait, where each 6 is a success. Spending
effort points can allow successes on 5-6 (for one point) or 4-6
(for two points). Character creation is by picking society
(noble, freedman, outsider, or serf); picking 1-3 Virtues and/or
Sins; picking five backgrounds; and spending 12 skill points.
141 pages core rules (PDF), plus four supplements totalling 50 pages (PDF).

A futuristic fantasy-horror game, set in 2066 in a grim cyberpunk
future where PC's are the "Warbreed" -- creatures created by the
dark gods (the "Ashura") and left on Earth in ancient times, who
now fight for the Earth against their creators. Character
creation is breed and class based, with point-bought attributes.
The resolution system is not clear.
~45 pages MSWord format.

A post-apocalyptic game where zombies have taken over the world, and
tribes survive in big cities by staying on higher floors and
barricading themselves up there. It has a broad scene resolution
mechanic based on how dice match character stats. Character
creation is limited point-based. Stats include Grace, three
Virtues (Haste, Cunning, and Passion), and a set of three
descriptive tags.
~8 pages rules (HTML).

A fantasy-horror role-playing game, the first draft of a planned
commercial game. It is set in the modern world with PCs who can
psychically enter the "Dreamscape". Character creation is
random-roll attributes and point-bought skills for real-world
attributes, and point-bought dreamscape stats -- where your total
points is inversely proportional to your real-world stat total
(people weak in the real world have stronger dream selves to
compensate). There are four attributes (Appeal, Mind, Action,
and Body) and four corresponding classes of dreamscape self
(Chargemaster, Dreamshaper, Dreamwarrior, and Gadgeteer).
Action resolution is attribute + skill + 1d10 vs difficulty.
20 pages RTF.

A horror role-playing game, where the characters are fiends which live
in a hellish universe called Yidathroth, or visit the human world
(known to them as Sha-la). There are fourteen races of fiends --
and all are unfathomably evil, and strive towards godhood through
dark magics. It uses a dice-pool system, where resolution is by
rolling attribute + skill d6s, and taking the highest -- where
sixes are open-ended. Also, once each scene a player can roll
1d6, and if the result is a six, the player can declare a
statement to be true in the game.
62 pages rules (PDF).

A generic horror-genre mini-RPG. Action resolution is roll
under stat on 1d20. Character generation is freeform traits and
assignment. It includes GM notes and brief adventures ideas but
no defined background.
7 pages rules (PDF).

A minimalist universal system in both English and Italian.
Character creation is by random-roll of 7 attributes. Resolution
is by attribute minus 2d6 minus difficulty. It includes a
small sci-fi setting ("Star Fresco") and a horror setting
("Frigor Mortis").
4 pages core rules (HTML and PDF) plus 5 pages sci-fi
setting (PDF) and 3 pages horror setting (PDF).

A GMless cooperative survival horror RPG designed to emulate movies in
which most of the main characters eventually die such as Alien or Scream,
and perform well in single-session play. It is recommended for 5-7 players.
It uses a narrative-focused d6 dice pool system, where there is a pool
of dice for all the players and for each character, and one pool
associated with the Menace (i.e. the defined threat central to
the movie).
32 pages rules (PDF).

A sci-fi/fantasy/horror RPG about students at George Underwood
Edwards University, after the floodgates of magic and weird
science are opened upon the world, where no more than half of all
university students survive to graduation.
~12 pages HTML.

A black comedy / paranoid horror RPG set in the modern world.
Character creation is by random-roll attributes and an
archetype. Resolution is by 2d6 + attribute + modifiers vs. 0 or
an opposing roll. An abridged version of the rules,
Harlequinade 6 is also available free from Precis Intermedia.
94 pages (PDF).

A comedic mini-RPG spoofing Holleywood horror movies. Character
creation is based on random-roll attributes, modified by class
(Jock, Nerd, Dumb Blonde, etc.). Action resolution is a percentile
combat system, with other dice used for damage and character
creation.
10 pages rules (MSWord).

A modern horror role-playing game about characters who have been
imprisoned in a California insane asylum, but cannot remember how
they came to be there or why. Every night, the inmates explore
the "Night World" to try to recover their memories - a constantly
shifting series of vignettes designed to freak the characters
out. Behind this, some ("the Facilitator") is using the
characters in an attempt to understand what he lost when he read
the King in Yellow himself. It uses a simple system with one
physical stat (Fatigue), and two mental stats (Lucidity and
Memory). Fights are accomplished by blind-bidding Fatigue or
Lucidity, depending on the nature of the threat. Also, by
spending a point of Memory, you can remember something about your
life before you came to the Asylum. You increase your Lucidity
by burning five fatigue points all at once; you gain Memory by
burning five Lucidity points. Once you hit twenty Memory points,
you can spend them all at once and transcend the game.
31 pages rules and background (PDF)

A Horror/Adventure RPG. It uses a variant of the "D6" system
from West End Games, but it is a complete game with all rules
included in the download. The rules includes magic systems
and psionics system (horror oriented, of course).
125 pages rules (RTF or MSWord) plus 125 pages GM's book (RTF or
MSWord).

This is the core mechanical system for a commercial modern dark
fantasy/horror RPG, closely based on White Wolf's World of
Darkness games, but released under an open gaming license.
It uses a dice pool system, rolling d10s equal to attribute plus
skill, where every result from 7 to 9 is one success, and every
result of 10 is two successes.
116 pages rules (RTF).

A partly universal system geared for modern fantasy/horror.
It includes a magic system but no setting. Task resolution uses
an open-ended d20 roll (20 is reroll and add, 1 is reroll and
subtract). Stat or skill + d20 + mods over 20 is a success.
Character creation is open point-based.
~48 pages rules (HTML).

``A storytelling game with strings set in a grim world of
make-believe.'' This is a diceless game set in a bizarre world of
horror where puppets are oppressed by bloodthirsty Punch. There
is a published version from Hogshead Games for cheap ($7 bundled
with another mini-RPG: "Power Kill"). The published version is
about 30% longer than the still-available free version.
~14 pages (HTML or RTF).

A game of playing ghosts working as agents to fight a force
known as Oblivion. They affect the physical world by possessing
human hosts, fighting Naughtwraiths who do likewise. It uses a
dice-pool system, rolling d10s equal to skill against a target
number from 2 to 10. Character creation is simple point-based.
24 pages core rules (PDF).

A former free RPG, now a cheap supplement for the Sorcerer
RPG. It is a surreal modern conspiracy/horror setting, inspired
mainly by the films of director David Cronenberg. The PC's are
secret revolutionaries with psychic powers, in the near future
fighting against a corrupt society.
36 pages background (PDF).

A free-form, play-by-post online RPG set in a gothic-fantasy
version of our world -- with vampires, witches, gargoyles,
ghosts, etc. It includes several time periods being run
simultaneously: ancient, early medieval, and modern.
~12 pages background (HTML) plus posted storylines.

A simple, drama-based system (in English and French). Action
resolution is by rolling a step-die (d4 to d30) based on skill
under difficulty. Character creation is freeform. It includes
two settings: a modern horror setting ("The Stage") and
an angels-in-the-modern-world setting ("Children of Fire").
42 pages base rules (PDF or HTML), plus 18-page modern
horror setting (PDF or HTML), and a 57-page urban fantasy
setting (PDF or HTML).

A post-apocalyptic game set after zombies have taken over the world.
Character creation is by taking binary "player's option" choices
which may taken at any time. It uses a simple dice-pool system,
rolling d6s based on complexity of the action, where 4-6 indicates
success, modified by difficulty and possibly an application option.
~20 pages HTML.

A mini-RPG conversion of the "Zombies!!!" boardgame from
Twilight Creations, about zombie attack horror. It uses
map tiles and zombie miniatures from the boardgame, but
none of the other rules or components. Character creation
is random-roll attributes-only (Health, Muscles, Brains, and Aim).
Action resolution is attribute + 1d10 + modifiers, and a 9 or
higher is a success.
14 pages rules (PDF) plus 8 page example campaign (PDF).